Retirees - Beverly

BEVERLY SAMPLE

NEW JERSEY

“Our parents always raised us to look out for the underdog,” says Beverly Sample, a retiree from New Jersey. “They said it’s good if you’re happy, but you’ve got to make sure that others are, too.” With a father who was a correctional officer for Trenton State Prison and a mother who made light bulbs for Westinghouse Electric Corp. and was also a United Automobile Workers member for General Motors, Sample’s parents weren’t wealthy, but they were able to provide for their family. They instilled in their children the importance of fighting for those without a voice. When she was a teenager, Sample joined her mother in a strike for better working conditions and better wages, and soon, the always-busy teen saw a way to channel her energy.

instilling your knowledge

When she went to work for Mercer County’s social services agency as an eligibility specialist in 1979, Sample’s involvement with AFSCME first took hold. She began by attending social events like parties and picnics. But it soon evolved. “When it came time for contract negotiations, I started to get very involved. My approach was always direct, honest and diplomatic. And it worked,” she said.

Sample wasn’t the only member of her family to become involved in AFSCME. Her sister, Debbie Parks, currently an AFSCME International vice president and associate director of AFSCME New Jersey, followed her to work in the social services agency and within AFSCME; another sister, Kathi Loftin, is a former AFSCME state secretary. Her brother, Henry W. Lofton Jr., was also a public service worker. Following in his father’s footsteps as a correctional officer for Mercer County, he was also a proud member of the Policemen’s Benevolent Association.

Beverly’s story is part of a longer series about how AFSCME Retirees fought for the rights and freedoms we enjoy today. They share their lessons for younger generations.

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“I believe in in younger people. That’s the future. They need to be mobilized. They have a lot of great ideas, and I have no problem sharing my knowledge with someone else.”

Facing low wages, understaffing and poor working conditions, state workers in New Jersey demand “more bread now.” Trenton, N.J., 1972. Photo by Richard A Lowey

The spirit of trade unionism has trickled down to Sample’s daughter, Latia, a staff representative for AFSCME New Jersey, and even her granddaughter, who’s traveled with Beverly and Latia to conventions and other events. As she reflects on her years fighting for New Jersey’s working families, Sample sums up her experience concisely: “I have saved peoples’ jobs. That’s my reward. My sisters and I aren’t after anything other than that. And,” Sample added, “we’re good at what we do.” Even in retirement, Sample is playing a prominent role in helping organize a new retiree chapter in New Jersey. “I believe in instilling your knowledge in younger people. That’s the future,” says the 64-year-old. “They need to be mobilized. They have a lot of great ideas, and I have no problem sharing my knowledge with someone else.”

AFSCME ballot, 1974 Photo Credit: Steven Kagan

instilling

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Beverly’s story is part of a longer series about how AFSCME Retirees fought for the rights and freedoms we enjoy today. They share their lessons for younger generations.

Visit www.afscme.org/retirees »

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